Green Bay medical college students called 'pioneers'

Medical College of Wisconsin-Green Bay student Philip Kostka, left, practices gathering patient history with standardized patient Leo Galvan during a class Thursday. Lessons began this month for the college’s first class on the St. Norbert College campus in De Pere.(Photo: Jim Matthews/Press-Gazette Media/@jmatthe79)Buy Photo

DE PERE – Members of the first class of the Medical College of Wisconsin's Green Bay-area campus said they are ready to make history as they completed a "white coat" ceremony Thursday.

The school on the St. Norbert College campus is the Wisconsin's first new medical school campus to open in a century.

The 26 members of the college's first class received short white coats in front of family and friends as a way of marking their entry into the medical profession. Coats become longer as students advance through the three-year program.

Plans for the satellite school began several years ago, as the Medical College sought ways to address growing doctor shortages, especially among general practice physicians in rural areas. The idea is to train students in Northeastern Wisconsin in hopes they eventually will practice in the area.

Students will learn through a mix of video conferences with instructors at the college's main Milwaukee campus, and in-class instructors from St. Norbert, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and other partners.

Officials said the unique school will be watched and likely imitated by medical colleges throughout the U.S.

The initial Green Bay area class includes 15 men and 11 women, and 23 are from Wisconsin.

Matthew Jenson, who graduated from Green Bay's Southwest High School in 2007, said he was accepted at four medical colleges, but decided he wanted to come back to Northeastern Wisconsin.

"It's my home," he said. "To be able to come back and train in medicine here is amazing. My dad is a physician and I grew up in his shadow, making hospital visits with him.

"I always had dreams of playing for the Green Bay Packers or becoming a doctor."

And he did have an opportunity to play college football and perhaps move on to play professionally, Jenson said.

"Medicine is the more rewarding profession," he said. "I am looking forward to going out and making a difference."

Students came to campus July 1, and Jenson said the class is already close.

"As a class we really have taken ownership," he said. "We know it's up to us to put a face on the school, and we are ready. Failure is not an option for us."

Students said they were excited to begin working with patients almost immediately, which likely wouldn't happen at a larger campus.

"Today we already met patients and took medical histories," said Emily Dolan, who grew up in La Crosse. "It's very exciting."

Julia Rose Shariff grew up in Green Bay and attended UW-Green Bay. She's proud to see and attend a medical college in her hometown.

"I looked around at all colleges, but it's really great this is here," she said. She's told her classmates about the local farmers markets and, of course, tailgating for Green Bay Packers games.

"I've told them how this really is such a supportive, strong community," Shariff said.

More than 2,000 people applied for slots in the school, said MCW-Green Bay Campus Dean Matthew Hunsaker.

A committee of 50 community members trained in MCW's admissions process reviewed applications and made recommendations, Hunsaker said. The applicants to the Green Bay program were among 7,000 total who applied to the Medical College.

MCW plans to open a similar satellite campus in July 2016 in central Wisconsin. It would be the state's fourth medical college campus, joining the new campus at St. Norbert, MCW's main Milwaukee-area location, and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison.

Hunsaker said MCW hopes the community-based medical education programs will help to fill a need for physicians outside of the major metro areas of Madison and Milwaukee.

"We know there's an unmet need for medical doctors in the state," he said. "The goal is to grow the overall training volume to increase the number of doctors."

Of course, students were not the only ones celebrating Thursday.

"I'm very proud," said Dan Meyer of Indiana, who, with his wife Lisa, praised their daughter, student Allison Meyer. "This is really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

— pzarling@pressgazettemedia.com or follow her on Twitter @PGPattiZarling